Sugar And Spice
by Smickan
Summary: Complete. Smithy and Mickey investigate the case of a missing child. Do the childs parents know more than they're letting on?
1. Chapter 1

**Sugar And Spice**

"Shhhh." Smithy chuckled and lifted Rebecca onto the kitchen counter. "She'll hear you."

Rebecca giggled and held a hand over her mouth, watching her father. "That one!" she pointed.

Smithy nodded and pulled the middle rose from the small bouquet, placing it inside the tall crystal vase. "Better?"

Rebecca nodded, her eyes widening at the amount of food being piled onto the tray. She tilted her head and looked up at him, hoping to distract him long enough to pounce on the pile of pancakes.

"No…" Smithy chuckled, watching her. "For mummy."

"Empty!" Rebecca pointed at her mouth, pouting.

"You've had your breakfast!"

"Dadadada." Rebecca pouted and lifted her arms to Smithy, snuggling against his chest, her head lolling against his shoulder. "Mummy sleepy!"

"So is Becca…"

"Not!" She insisted, lifting her head from Smithy's shoulder. "Mummy share?" She looked hopefully at him.

"You'd have to ask her." He grinned, kissed the top of her hair, and set about trying to work out a way to balance Rebecca _and_ the tray.

* * *

Charlie slept peacefully, curled up on her side. She clutched the duvet tightly and stayed on her side, her hand under Smithy's pillow, holding it to her chest.

* * *

Rebecca stayed close to her father and clung around his neck, hardly daring to move for fear he may drop her. She peered over his shoulder at the stairs as they reached the top, patting his cheek in some form of reward. Smithy grinned triumphantly and quietly opened the door, managing to get the tray onto the bedside table, and Rebecca onto the bed. 

"Charlie…" Smithy sat behind her and leant a little over her to stroke her hair from her face. "Baby, breakfast…"

Charlie murmured sleepily and groaned softly as she stirred, her eyes still closed.

"Chaz…" Smithy whispered and pressed a soft kiss against her neck. "Morning gorgeous…"

Charlie's eyes flickered open and she turned onto her back, smiling sleepily at Smithy.

"Ha!" Rebecca pounced at the movement, bouncing onto her mother's chest, forcing her eyes to open. She cackled and cuddled into Charlie, nuzzling her cheek almost.

"Morning Bec." Charlie yawned and managed to push herself up to a seated position, cuddling Rebecca gently, tilting her head a little to return Smithy's soft kiss. "And you." She smirked, cupping his cheek.

"Eugh." Rebecca blew a raspberry, sitting back up. "Empty mummy." She pointed at the tray.

Charlie looked over and chuckled as she saw the breakfast, grinning up at Smithy, "Thank you…" she smiled.

"Who said it's for you?" Smithy winked and sat on his side of the bed against the pillows.

"Has daddy not fed you, Becca?" Charlie pouted for her daughter.

Rebecca puckered her lips, contemplating a lie, before giggling as she saw Smithy's expression. "Not 'nuff."

"Not enough?" Charlie tutted. "You have to stop starving her, Smithy."

Smithy rolled his eyes and passed the tray over to Charlie, stealing a pancake to share with Rebecca. "She looks bad on it."

"Oi!" Charlie gestured with the fork. "Don't you go calling my baby fat, there's nothing on her!"

Rebecca looked outraged and glared at Smithy.

"I wasn't." Smithy laughed, "I just meant-"

"Quit whilst you're ahead." Charlie sniggered, watching his attempts to bribe Rebecca with a piece of pancake.

* * *

"You wanted to see me ma'am?" Smithy leant casually in the Inspector's doorway. 

"Ah, Smithy – come in."

Smithy nodded and entered the room, closing the door behind him. "Whatever I've done, it wasn't me." He insisted.

"No?" Gina looked amused, "So it was Tony who should get the commendation?"

"Now, I'm all for sharing the glory with the relief, but-"

"Sit down and shut up."

"Ma'am." Smithy grinned, doing just that.

"CID have been working on a case overnight, a missing child." Gina pursed her lips thoughtfully. "A little girl, 6 years old." She passed him the file. "Her name is Rachel Mayers."

Smithy frowned and nodded, reading through the papers in front of him.

"She was heading home with her older sister, Hannah. Hannah's understandably distraught, her sister was snatched when she was beside her, dragged into a car."

"They're either brave or stupid…" Smithy pursed his lips. "Is it something to do with the family? Do they owe money or-"

"The parents insist not. Apparently Rachel is the perfect child, quiet, calm, well mannered. Hannah is the one with the temper enough for both of them, she's dispraxic."

Smithy scratched the side of his head, "And-"

"Mickey will fill you in, I've got last nights relief out there still searching, I'll let this morning's group know."

"Ma'am." Smithy nodded, making his way to CID.

* * *

"As far as we know," Mickey leant against the water cooler. "The kid is the latter day saint, noone knows of any reason why she in particular could be snatched, Suzie's interviewing the sister." 

"Do you think it's something the sister's done?"

"To warrant the kid being taken?" Mickey sighed. "It's unlikely, but…"

Smithy nodded.

"Thing is, she's clammed up – she'll only talk to Suzie, and even that's in angry outbursts, she had to be pulled off her mother earlier…"

"Is there-"

"Dyspraxia, FME said she was fit to interview." Mickey nodded. "She's not scared of anything, she chased after the car and stepped in front of it, it only just narrowly missed her!"

"Poor kid." Smithy sighed.

Mickey nodded, "We've been searching for Rachel since 7 yesterday, not even the slightest whiff of a lead." He sighed. "There has to be something we're not covering in this."


	2. Chapter 2

**Sugar And Spice – Part 2**

"'…Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin.' Mr Wolf was angry and determined he would get to the piggies, knowing he was much stronger. "So I'll huff…and I'll puff…and I'll blooow your house down."

Smithy stood in the doorway, grinning as he listened, the room just illuminated by the lamp in the corner.

"The poor piggy in the first house was so worried, he'd only built his house of straw…"

Rebecca yawned and turned a little so her head was resting against Charlie's hip, her eyes closed.

Charlie smiled and continued reading a little longer, before gently pushing herself up from the bed. She brushed Rebecca's hair from her eyes and tucked her in a little more, kissing her forehead. "Night baby…" she whispered, Smithy joining her. "How long have you been there?" she grinned.

"Long enough…" He winked and kissed her cheek, bending to say goodnight to Rebecca.

"Stalker." Charlie tutted, her gaze running down Smithy's back…

"Pervert." Smithy smirked in response without turning round.

"I hate it when you do that." Charlie scowled and sighed, wrapping her arm around his back as they left the room. "Good day?"

"Not really…" Smithy sighed and sank into the armchair after pouring himself a strong drink once downstairs. "Long day…"

Charlie pouted in anticipation, curling up on his lap, "What's wrong?"

Smithy explained about Rachel, "It's been on the news, haven't you heard?"

Charlie shook her head. "Between the housework, shopping, ferrying Rebecca about to and from nursery, Cbeebies, cooking…"

"Point taken." Smithy smirked and ran his hand through her hair. "I just kept thinking, 'what if it was Rebecca…'"

"Don't!" Charlie insisted, hiding her face in Smithy's chest.

Smithy sighed and kissed the top of her head, "She's safe." He smiled down at her. "I won't let anything happen to either of you."

Charlie smiled a little, "I can't imagine what her parents must be going through. If anything happened to Rebecca…I don't know what I'd do."

"Nothing will happen." Smithy insisted, kissing her forehead.

* * *

Mickey yawned and scratched the back of his head as he pushed the doors to CID open, attempting to balance his muffin and coffee, as well as his file. He smiled and nodded across at Jo, nudging the back of her chair with a cheeky grin as he managed to sit down. 

"Oi!" Jo grinned and turned in her seat. "You look like I feel."

"Thanks." Mickey snorted. "I'm not that-"

"Choose your words carefully, Webb." Jo grinned and scooted across the room on her chair, reaching for the file.

Mickey chuckled and glanced up. "Anything I should know about?" he asked.

Jo shook her head. "No good news." She sighed softly. "Poor kid, Hannah's convinced it's her fault, but doesn't know how to communicate in anything other than anger, she's sure everyone's blaming her just because she is."

"Must be hard for her…" Mickey sighed and nodded. "And the parents, having to try and cope too…"

"Suzie's slowly gaining her trust though-." Jo was interrupted by the door opening and Jack appearing. "Guv?"

"Possible sighting." Jack pursed his lips. "Malfort Street."

Mickey jumped up with Jo, heading towards the door, the other CID officers joining them.

* * *

"Nothing." Mickey frowned, scratching his chin. "Anything your end?" 

Jo sighed and watched as June sent away the driver their group had been questioning. "Nothing, Mickey." She sighed.

"All units from DCI Meadows, rendezvous at the carpark on Mettle Lane in five minutes."

Jo relayed the message to June and headed back to the car they'd arrived in, the various groups each making their way to the meeting point.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sugar And Spice – Part 3**

"NO!" Hannah pulled her hands away from her mothers grasp, clasping them to her chest.

"It's ok, Hannah!" Suzie held her hands up in front of her, "Really, it's ok!"

"NO!"

Suzie stood up slowly, gently edging towards the child. "Sweetie, really…it's ok, you're not in trouble!"

Hannah's eyes flashed with anger and she pounced towards Suzie, only to be grabbed and pulled back in the form of a bear hug. "Come on, sweetheart…" Mickey held her tight to his chest, having entered the room after the second shout. "It's ok…"

Hannah fought against him at first and lashed out, hitting his arm and chest, before slumping in his hold, resting against him. Mickey let her and sat down, looking surprised as the girl clung to him and curled on his lap. "It's alright, sweetheart." Mickey gently stroked her hair, missing the loaded looks being sent between Suzie and the girl's mother. "It's alright, I promise."

"Want. Rachel." Hannah managed to say between hiccupped sobs.

"I know you do…" Mickey rested his head against hers. "And we want to find her, but we need your help…" he moved his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head up. "Do you think you can help us?"

Hannah held his gaze and stared at him for a few seconds, before nodding, her hand closing around his under her chin. "You. Here?" she sniffled.

Mickey glanced at Suzie who nodded and smiled down at Hannah. "If you want me here." He nodded.

Hannah flashed him the briefest hint of a smile and curled tighter on his lap, tightly clutching his hand between both of hers.

* * *

"She doesn't usually take to anyone." Hannah's mother, Jess later whispered to Suzie, watching Hannah pointing a drink out to Mickey through the vending machine, smiling at him as he bought it for her. "It's amazing – she's never met him before." 

"Mickey's full of surprises." Suzie chuckled, smiling to herself as she watched the small girl lead him around the room by his hand, Mickey never once complaining as they circled the room repeatedly.

"He's a good man." Jess smiled, her hands tightly cupping the drink she was holding. "I-" She trailed off and swallowed hard, dipping her head. "I just can't believe we're here." She said quietly, her shoulders shaking as she cried.

Suzie wrapped her arm around the other woman, "We're doing everything we can to search for Rachel, we'll-"

"I know, I know…" Jess rubbed at her already sore eyes with the edge of her jumper. "My little girl…" she sniffed.

* * *

"Ma'am." Smithy looked up from the computer screen as Gina came through, pointing out a line of writing on the monitor. 

Gina came up behind him and leant forward, "What is it?" she asked, reading the screen.

"Paul Parker, the girls father." Smithy glanced up.

"Kerb crawling," Gina frowned. "And?"

"The next one…"

"Soliciting an underage girl…" Gina frowned and looked up. "Why has noone checked this?"

Smithy sighed and shook his head. "I'll look into it." He pursed his lips, already printing the page out. "I'll get this to the DCI."

"Good work, Smithy." Gina nodded, heading to the soft interview room to tell Suzie.

* * *

"This was a long time ago!" Paul glared at Neil. "I haven't-" 

"Does your wife know, Paul?"

"No!" Paul spat angrily. "It happened before we had the girls! I wasn't even trying to pick her up, she-"

"It's a hard job, looking after Hannah when-"

"Don't you DARE!" Paul pointed at Stuart, "I don't believe this, my little girl is missing and you think I'm involved?"

"We need to cover every lead, Paul." Neil tried to calm him, glaring at Stuart. "If there's anything that-"

"You think I've touched them?" Paul became more worked up, standing up. "You think-"

"Noone's accusing you of anything!" Neil held his hands up.

Paul continued addressing Stuart, towering over him. "He is!"

"Sit down Mr Parker!" Neil tried again, "Paul!"

"Mr Parker, we need to cover everything, if there's any chance that your daughter-"

Paul pounced forward and aimed a punch at Stuart, Neil managing to push him down against the table and pin him in place, pressing the alarm, Stuart holding his chin.

Paul struggled against Neil, flailing out to catch either man as he shouted, Tony and Roger escorting him to a cell, "My office." Neil spat, not turning to look at Stuart. "NOW!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Sugar And Spice – Part 4**

"Well…" Smithy sat on the edge of Mickey's desk, scratching his chin. "Something's been bothering me…"

"Oh?" Mickey tilted his head, folding his arms to listen.

"Well. You said she chased after the car, yeah?" Smithy paused as Mickey nodded. "And it narrowly missed her…"

Mickey nodded again. "Yeah, and…?"

"And…if it was that bothered about getting away-"

"Why didn't they run her over?" Both men finished in unison.

"That's a fair point." Mickey puckered his lips. "Maybe they didn't want to draw attention to themselves?"

"Snatching the kid in broad daylight's already done that, and besides, the street was empty."

"Do you think there's something in the stuff with the dad?" Mickey asked.

"Honestly? I don't know…the kid was underage, he should be on the sex offenders register." Smithy looked thoughtful.

"Except he's not." Mickey scowled and sighed. "There was just a comment tacked on the bottom like it didn't matter cos the kid was dead!"

"Dead?" Smithy blinked and looked up.

"Yeah, there wasn't enough evidence, the kid's body was found in the squat she'd been living in with a group of others, she'd injected herself and overdosed with no evidence of foul play. There was no evidence of Paul having been near her at the time she was examined, he was just seen trying to pick her up."

Smithy sighed and shook his head. "She was 13! Little more than a baby!"

* * *

Rebecca barely lifted her head as the door opened, flashing her mother a grin, but quickly turning her gaze back to the TV. 

Charlie chuckled as she watched the little girl sprawl over the settee, sitting beside her. "You hungry?"

Rebecca shook her head and shuffled along the settee, resting her head in her mothers lap.

Charlie smiled and gently brushed her fingers through Rebecca's hair, "You're tired…"

"Not."

"Oh yes you are…" she chuckled, lifting her up a little more to cradle her. She leant back and rested Rebecca against her shoulder, gently rocking her.

Rebecca fought to keep her eyes open and concentrated on the television, before her eyelids began to droop and close, soon falling fast asleep.

Her mother smiled and gently kissed her forehead, turning the channel over and lowering the volume, settling back herself for a nap, cuddling her daughter tightly.

* * *

"Mickey!" Hannah's eyes shone with recognition and she immediately clasped his hand. 

"Hiya sweetheart," he smiled, acknowledging Jess and her husband. "Mr Parker, can we have a word please?"

Jess blinked and looked at Paul. "Has something happened?"

Mickey shook his head. "Just some questions, no need to worry."

"But-"

"I'll be back soon…" Paul rested his hands on Jess' shoulders, softly kissing her. "You stay here with Han."

Jess nodded reluctantly, cuddling her daughter to her after Mickey had managed to get her to let go.

"What is this about now?" Paul hissed as soon as the door closed.

"Mr Parker." Mickey said solemnly. "I was talking to my DI about your previous…offence." He said sternly. "And I'd like to ask you a few more questions."

"You think I've-"

"Mr Parker…" Smithy appeared beside Mickey, towering over both men. "If you'd like to come with us, the sooner you'd be able to get back to your wife and Hannah."

"You're wasting our time!" Paul spat. "Instead of looking for Rachel, you're looking for trouble that isn't there!"

"Paul." Mickey said firmly, closing the door behind them all. "This is being recorded but you are free to leave at anytime"

Smithy stood by the door as Paul made a beeline to it, "Mr Parker, if you help us now, we won't have to do this at a later date, when your wife may be present."

Paul stopped and glared at Smithy, cursing under his breath, "What is it you want?" he spat, still glaring at the other man.

Mickey started the tape, got Paul to sit down and read him the caution. "Do you understand?"

Paul sighed and nodded, his arms folded. "What is this about?" he repeated.

"At the time of your previous arrest in …1999." Smithy read from the sheet.

"Is that what this is?" Paul snorted. "You're obsessed!"

"…you were suspected of being part of a group, yet nothing was proved."

"'Cos it was bullshit!"

"Mr Parker, I'm sure you understand the urgency of our questions…"

"Are you bribing me?" Paul snorted, looking more on edge than ever. "What is it, I answer your questions and you'll look for Rachel, if I don't-"

"Of course not!" Mickey insisted. "Paul, our investigations so far have led us to conclude that Rachel was specifically targeted. The road was deserted, the children alone…they didn't attempt to abduct Hannah, she tried to stop them and they swerved to avoid her…"

"You think I'd put my daughter at risk?" Paul snorted.

Smithy frowned and sighed. "Mr Parker, all we are trying to do is find your-"

"Do you have kids?" Paul snapped.

"No…" Mickey sighed.

"You?"

Smithy sighed and folded his arms, nodding.

"Then you'll know what it's like!" Paul snapped. "You know that they are part of you, that you'd do _anything_ to protect them!"

"Is that what this is?" Smithy asked softly. "Is someone trying to put pressure on you?"

"You never give up!" Paul glared at them both, glancing nervously at his watch.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sugar And Spice – Part 5**

"He's hiding something!"

"You'll have a job of proving it though…"

Smithy sighed and folded his arms as he stood at the side of Gina's desk. "He just kept getting more and more defensive!"

"People lie to us Smithy…" Gina watched him, cigarette in hand. "It's terrible, isn't it."

"Have you spoken to the DI?" Gina lifted her coffee mug, taking a sip.

"Well," Mickey exchanged glances with Smithy and looked back at Gina. "No…Thing is, we'd like to give him a scare…"

"And you don't think Neil would let you…" She chuckled dryly. "Good to know I have my uses."

"So you'll-"

"Be as quick as possible, I don't want you to causing more distress to his wife or daughter."

"They won't have to know…" Mickey reasoned.

"Michael, if you don't find anything – it could be turned around as entrapment, so you better hope you're not barking up the wrong tree, else you'll have something else to worry about."

"Ma'am." Smithy sighed and nudged Mickey's arm to get him to leave, "Let's just hope this works."

"It has to." Mickey scratched his chin. "Else we've nothing to go on."

* * *

"Mr Parker." Mickey stood between the car and Parker, his arms folded. 

"What now?"

"Going somewhere, Mr Parker?" Smithy climbed out the CID pool car, pulling his hat on, having followed him from the station, admittedly keeping their distance.

"I'm going to look for my daughter." Paul glared at both men.

"Then you won't mind us joining you…" Mickey said brightly.

Paul's expression fell further and he shook his head, pointing between them. "I'll have you for this – you can't keep harassing me!"

"Mr Parker, with all due respect – I hardly see how helping in the search for your daughter is harassment…unless of course, there's something we don't know….?"

Paul's glare grew in intensity and he glanced nervously at his watch.

"…Something wrong sir?" Smithy asked, his polite tone clipped.

"Of course not…" Paul swallowed. "I was going to look by the canal at the end of Lasser Street, I'll take the north if you want to take the-"

"We don't mind accompanying you…"

"Nah, course not – we'd be able to spread out a little more." Mickey agreed.

"I don't think it takes the three-"

"Mr Parker." Smithy took a step forward, looking down at him. "We have reason to believe you're not giving us the full story…" he lowered his tone, leaning forward into Paul's face. "Now, unless you want us to nick you on suspicion of being involved, you'll start being a little more co-operative. Won't you?"

Paul looked incredibly torn, glancing to the side a little at the house where he could see his wife watching through the curtains. "Not here."

Mickey exchanged glances with Smithy and gave a small smirk, following the men back towards the car.

* * *

"Go on…" Smithy encouraged, turning a little more in the seat to look at him. "This Jeffery, he's the leader?" 

Paul nodded, "You have to believe me, I'm out of that, I never did anything! I didn't even know the kids age!" He sighed. "Jess and I were going through a rough patch, we weren't even talking, never mind sleeping in the same bed…I thought-"

"A Tom would make it all better…"

Paul's eyes narrowed at Smithy but he gave the slightest hint of a nod. "I just wanted the physical side, you know…I wasn't, and I'm not interested in kids – I honestly thought she was older – she was all made up, she looked at least 18!"

Mickey sighed, "They lose the childhood fast these days…" he agreed.

"I was gonna take her for a drive…pay her and bring her back to where she wanted to be, I'd never have hurt her…"

"But you were picked up…"

"Some jobsworth from Barton St arrested me…" Parker nodded. "I was charged with Kerb crawling…I thought it'd be the end of it though – but I was sent a picture…through the post."

"Picture?"

"It was…me." He swallowed. "The picture was of me talking to the girl, trying to get her to get in the car…written on the back was a mobile number, I rang it…and that's when I first spoke to Jeffery… He told me if I didn't give him money…he'd tell my wife." He looked down, suitably embarrassed. "I paid him…it seemed easier. Then Jess and I got back on track, and I tried to stop. ….Then he threatened the kids."

"Do you still have the picture?"

Paul nodded. "It's in my desk at work; I wanted it away from the house so Jess and the kids wouldn't find it."

Smithy nodded. "…What did he threaten?"

"He said…" Paul's face crumbled with pain. "He said if I didn't keep paying him, and I didn't 'help' him, ….he said he'd take my kids, and they'd end up like that girl…the 13 year old."


	6. Chapter 6

**Sugar And Spice – Chapter 6**

Smithy stepped back from filling Gina in on what they found out, handing over the photocopy of the picture Paul had given him.

Gina sighed and glanced up. "Has he told you where to contact Jeffery?"

"He's in the interview room with Mickey now…" Smithy explained. "We're going to set up a meet and hope he bites."

"Has he made contact?"

"Once." Smithy nodded. "He definitely has the kid, and as far as we're aware he doesn't know that we're involved, he threatened Parker's kids if he spoke to us."

"Did he mention the kids when he called?"

Smithy nodded again. "He definitely has Rachel, he took her cos Parker stopped paying him and 'working' for him…this was a warning."

"Hell of a warning." Gina sighed. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"He wants Paul to prove his worth…there's a kid coming over from Africa who has no parents. He wants Paul and Jess to put her up, if he does and doesn't involve the police – he gets Rachel back…then even if he did come to us after, Jeffery has the defence of Paul having the kid first."

Gina sighed and shook her head. "He's not stupid."

"Not by any means ma'am." Smithy agreed. "We want Paul to contact Jeffery and arrange to meet him in Canley Park…we'll have him followed and see where he goes back to…"

"And then what? It's unlikely he'll have the kid with him."

"Well no, but if we can build up a picture of who he is and what he does then we'd be closer to finding her…"

"Take the long way around you mean?" Gina lit a cigarette.

"At the minute, it's all we've got." Smithy sighed, "If we rush in there and the kid isn't there…then we have nothing and whoever has the kid could kill her."

"Run with it." Gina sighed and nodded, "Inform the DI – and keep me up to date."

"Ma'am." Smithy flashed a quick grin, leaving the room.

* * *

An hour later, Smithy was sat in an unmarked car with Mickey, relaxing back against the seats in the warm sunshine, both men watching the jittery Paul pace the small area of park in front of them. "You think he's up to this?" 

"He has to be." Mickey frowned a little, "He keeps glancing across…."

"Muppet." Smithy sighed and shook his head, "I told him not to make it obvious…"

Mickey scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I'm surprised he hasn't just turned and pointed us out to him…"

"Hang on…" Smithy leant casually forward, "Is that-"

"All units from DC Webb…" Mickey lifted the radio. "Stand by…suspect approaching. IC3 male, late 30's, early 40's, large build, wearing a dark suit and black overcoat." He nodded at Smithy and turned up the speaker to the wire Parker was wearing.

_"Where is she?"_

_"Relaaaax." Jeffery grinned at the smaller man. "She's safe!"_

_"Where IS she?"_

"Alright, Paul…" Mickey murmured under his breath. "Keep it together…"

_Jeffery chuckled softly, "She's with a friend."_

_"I swear, if you've laid a hand on her…" Paul moved forward and grabbed his jacket._

_Jeffery stared at his hand until he removed it, his eyebrow arching sharply. "I understand you want to make a deal…"_

_Paul swallowed hard and sounded choked. "I'll do it…"_

_"Good lad…"_

"Come on Jeffery…" Smithy frowned, "Explain in detail for the tape…"

_"She's arriving later this evening – I'll get her delivered to you, one breath to the police and you don't see Rachel again!"_

_"I won't!" Paul held his hands up. "I just want to see my little girl, please – I need-"_

_"DADDDDDY!"_

_"RACHEL!"_

Smithy and Mickey both shot up in their seats, "He's got her with him?" Mickey blinked.

Smithy took a double take at the figure a little distance away from the two men, her hand clamped inside that of a larger thick set man, struggling against him. Paul made a bolt forward, held back by Jeffery.

_"DADDY! DAAADDY!"_

"DC Nadir – move your team further around the back of the park, he's got the child with him, I repeat the child is here." Smithy radioed urgently through. "ALL UNITS, GO GO GO."

Various police officers sprang from where they'd been waiting, all running towards them, CO19 in hot pursuit.

"You lied to me, Paul." Jeffery's voice dripped with poison. "After I trusted you…you lied!" He turned to run, coming face to face with Zain and Smithy, trying to get around them.

"DAAAAAAAAAADDY." Rachel shrieked, trying to get free and run to her father who was being kept back by Suzie. "DAAADDY!"

The thick set man who held her produced a gun, pulling the girl towards him and aiming it at her.

"Put the gun down and let her go…" Mickey held his hands up, backed up by CO19. "Just put it down NOW!"

"RACHEL!" Paul called back to her, trying to run over. "IT'S ALRIGHT, BABY – DADDY'S HERE!"

"Armed police!" The CO19 Sergeant aimed his gun. "Drop your weapon."

The man looked between Mickey and the armed officer, before holding his hands up.

"Put the gun on the floor." The officers moved in, Rachel running straight to Mickey's arms. Mickey lifted her up and carried her over to Paul whilst CO19 arrested the man with Will and Tony's help, Zain and Smithy having Jeffery bundled into the van.

* * *

"How is she?" Smithy asked Suzie, standing outside the cubicle with Gina and Mickey. 

"There's no sign of sexual abuse…" Suzie told them quietly. "However, she has obviously been restrained and she has wounds and bruises on her wrists and ankles.

Gina sighed and nodded, her lips pursed. "Poor girl."

Suzie nodded in agreement. "She's been very brave. Her first question on getting here was about Hannah. Has she seen-"

"She's outside with her parents." Mickey smiled, having been sat with them since they arrived."

"Have you interviewed Jeffery yet?"

Smithy shook his head. "Waiting on his lawyer."

"And that won't be some legal aid nobody…" Suzie sighed.

Smithy shook his head and smiled a little. "With the evidence we have, and Jeffery's history, he'll never be able to wriggle out of this one."

* * *

Complete – thank you for your reviews! There'll probably be a sequel to this, but it will be a while away, things are busy at the minute. 


End file.
